The Forest - the Chain Saw - and the Seedling

[zorkchop]

I will try to keep this short and sweet . . .

I will assume that most of you have heard the old saying . . . Can’t see the forest because of the trees. What does that mean . . . in the life of the individual? How does it apply to your life . . . perhaps not specifically . . . but as a viable and general optic.

If you haven’t heard of the saying . . . you have now.

How does it apply to most everything you hold to be true in your individual life?

Secondly . . . once the weed trimmers / weed whackers / lopping shears / chain saws come out and have done their duty . . . now what? Do we just just selectively trim a tree or two? Do we clear an acre? Do we clear cut? Do we let the results just stand . . . if there’s anything left to stand?

Lastly . . . in the areas that we cleared . . . to whatever extent that was . . . do we allow the dormant seeds to sprout? Are we even concerned with the resultant ground covers . . . or under-growth . . . or shrubbery . . . or new trees? Do we try to plant selected seedlings of our own?

Are these questions of any importance to you?

[guthrio]

Originally Posted by zorkchop

I will try to keep this short and sweet . . .

I will assume that most of you have heard the old saying . . . Can’t see the forest because of the trees. What does that mean . . . in the life of the individual? How does it apply to your life . . . perhaps not specifically . . . but as a viable and general optic.

If you haven’t heard of the saying . . . you have now.

How does it apply to most everything you hold to be true in your individual life?

Secondly . . . once the weed trimmers / weed whackers / lopping shears / chain saws come out and have done their duty . . . now what? Do we just just selectively trim a tree or two? Do we clear an acre? Do we clear cut? Do we let the results just stand . . . if there’s anything left to stand?

Lastly . . . in the areas that we cleared . . . to whatever extent that was . . . do we allow the dormant seeds to sprout? Are we even concerned with the resultant ground covers . . . or under-growth . . . or shrubbery . . . or new trees? Do we try to plant selected seedlings of our own?

Are these questions of any importance to you?

Zorkchop,

....am hoping the beginnings of an answer to your questions can be found in the referenced image, below. IMHO, it's about what your use of the term "we" can be seen to mean...as us.

Therein is the life of every forest, including what I call the Garden of You.

"Be Lions roaring in the Forests of Knowledge; Whales swimming in the Oceans of Life"
- From song entitled "East of Ginger Trees" by Seals and Crofts

Gardens, Forests, and Oceans 'r us all....

Reference: https://hybrid-machine.tumblr.com/po...s-is-so-moving

Reference: http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...d.php?t=115825

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by zorkchop

I will try to keep this short and sweet . . .

I will assume that most of you have heard the old saying . . . Can’t see the forest because of the trees. What does that mean . . . in the life of the individual? How does it apply to your life . . . perhaps not specifically . . . but as a viable and general optic.

If you haven’t heard of the saying . . . you have now.

How does it apply to most everything you hold to be true in your individual life?

Secondly . . . once the weed trimmers / weed whackers / lopping shears / chain saws come out and have done their duty . . . now what? Do we just just selectively trim a tree or two? Do we clear an acre? Do we clear cut? Do we let the results just stand . . . if there’s anything left to stand?

Lastly . . . in the areas that we cleared . . . to whatever extent that was . . . do we allow the dormant seeds to sprout? Are we even concerned with the resultant ground covers . . . or under-growth . . . or shrubbery . . . or new trees? Do we try to plant selected seedlings of our own?

Are these questions of any importance to you?

When I was a child, we had a forest on the backside of our property. While I was at home, I never knew what laid beyond the forest. Recently, my brother cut down all of the forest that was on our land. We still can not tell what lays beyond the forest.

What lays beyond the forest, beyond the mountain, etc. stimulates are curiosity. If people could not pursue their curiosities, modern conveniences would not exist. We probably would be still living in caves, etc.

It's simple, really. It just means you're unable to take a step-back (overall) view of a problem because you're too embroiled in its details.
.

My interpretation would be the forest is experiencing life from a perspective of our true nature and the trees are all the distractions we cling to or push away.

Another way to put it is seeing the forest is living in the now, being present and keeping things in perspective. Seeing the trees is compulsively focusing on things that cannot be changed (the past), cannot be predicted (the future) and are outside of our control (others' thoughts, words and actions).

[zorkchop]

Lorelyen had it right. It is the basis for “the best hiding place is right in front of you.” The basic principle is . . . very, VERY few can see beyond their current state of consciousness . . . and . . . in order to grow . . . one MUST find a way around this. We are slave to our dearly-held beliefs . . . and can rarely see even their purpose . . . let alone where they will “lead” us.

This three was designed to give insight and possible direction to MANY questions being asked on this entire board . . . from “why am I here” to “nothing motivates me” to “what am I supposed to learn” and on and on and on.

I can all but guarantee . . . these three puzzle pieces WILL be addressed by each and every conscious greater living today. It cannot be side-stepped. The three phases of this thread is the backbone of self-learning and growth.

Sadly . . . few even see what the puzzle pieces represent . . . let alone address. The development of this thread could have offered direction for many. Few even saw beyond the question of the forest. This has NOTHING to do with an actual physical stand of trees. This has EVERYTHING to do with self-learning and growth.

LIFE rarely spells out answers in the written form. To learn to work with LIFE involves perception, intuition, courage, and effort. “Answers” found in yeah another book or yet another web site . . . are simple replications of what the current fads and trends are today. Yes . . . a LOT can be learned from books and web sites. This entire thread was designed for those that want to begin to work beyond that.

LIFE will rarely push you into making the right decisions. You must discover those for yourself.

Originally Posted by zorkchop

Lorelyen had it right. It is the basis for “the best hiding place is right in front of you.” The basic principle is . . . very, VERY few can see beyond their current state of consciousness . . . and . . . in order to grow . . . one MUST find a way around this. We are slave to our dearly-held beliefs . . . and can rarely see even their purpose . . . let alone where they will “lead” us.

Yup, and that is the obvious answer and was already stated. I was exploring the real life correlates to the metaphor. What it boils down to is without having a relatively still mind or not being aware of all the internal chatter it's quite impossible to get out of the compulsive behavior embodied in beliefs. So we replay them over and over again, even though the results are not necessarily the desired ones.

It's hard if not impossible to be present and see the big picture, the forest, instead always getting mired in the details: "Last time this happened and I did 'X' it was horrible"; "If I do 'X' again it will be equally bad this time."; "If I do 'Y' what will people think of me, say to me. Will they still want to be friendly towards me?".

Mired in the details, replaying the past, worrying about the future or worrying about how others might think, say or do. All of which are outside one's scope of control.

[Little Creek77]

I think the saying means paying to much attention to the details and the distractions, thus not seeing the over all picture.

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by zorkchop

Lorelyen had it right. It is the basis for “the best hiding place is right in front of you.” The basic principle is . . . very, VERY few can see beyond their current state of consciousness . . . and . . . in order to grow . . . one MUST find a way around this. We are slave to our dearly-held beliefs . . . and can rarely see even their purpose . . . let alone where they will “lead” us.

This three was designed to give insight and possible direction to MANY questions being asked on this entire board . . . from “why am I here” to “nothing motivates me” to “what am I supposed to learn” and on and on and on.

I can all but guarantee . . . these three puzzle pieces WILL be addressed by each and every conscious greater living today. It cannot be side-stepped. The three phases of this thread is the backbone of self-learning and growth.

Sadly . . . few even see what the puzzle pieces represent . . . let alone address. The development of this thread could have offered direction for many. Few even saw beyond the question of the forest. This has NOTHING to do with an actual physical stand of trees. This has EVERYTHING to do with self-learning and growth.

LIFE rarely spells out answers in the written form. To learn to work with LIFE involves perception, intuition, courage, and effort. “Answers” found in yeah another book or yet another web site . . . are simple replications of what the current fads and trends are today. Yes . . . a LOT can be learned from books and web sites. This entire thread was designed for those that want to begin to work beyond that.

LIFE will rarely push you into making the right decisions. You must discover those for yourself.

Do you plan to post some answers to the questions you infer to ask? You're very vague. Why don't you just say what you have to say? Time is running ...

[zorkchop]

inavalan . . .

I have learned from long, consistent experience . . . that if there is little interest in the questions . . . there is often even less in the answers.

I was purposively vague to leave the door wide open. I even added in my reply that LIFE doesn’t clearly spell things out. For individuals to just throw their hands in the air and give up leads to endless lifetimes of waiting.

People who walk the far steps of the Path are not here to report. Their main goal is to nudge people along to make their own discoveries. It’s the ol’ “teach a man to fish” thing.

It truly takes an individual with an intense interest in Truth . . . beyond the current mainstream teachings . . . to begin to see what does indeed lie beyond the popular information. One thing is certain . . . no one can MAKE another person learn. So . . . LIFE plays a waiting game. The great, vast majority just wish to gather information . . . or find new ways to say what they already believe to be true.

There are reasons why Greater Truth is hidden from the masses. One of those reasons is that people just will not see what is right in front of them . . . which this thread could have addresses with development. If Greater Truth were easy to uncover . . . there would be no reason for this series of schoolrooms.

This thread will die due to lack of interest.